Improvement in nail-plate feeders



UNrrEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN NAIL-PLATE FEEDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,224, dated August22, 1871.

To all whom t may concern: l

Be it known that we, JAMES FERGUSON and JOHN TURNER, of Bridgewater, in.the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Nail- Machine Feeder; and we do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of thisspecification.

Our invention consists in improving nail-plate feeders, as hereinafterfully described and subsequently pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying' drawing, Figure l, sheet l, represents a top orplan view of the feeder, showing the construction and general arr(ngement of parts. Fig. 2 is a side View, partly in section. Fig. 3,sheet 2, is an end view, with parts broken away to show thereversing-wheel and rack. Fig. et is a vertical section of Fig. 2 taken011 the line a: x, showing the Dipper-rod holder and the manner in whichit is made to operate.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Ais the nipper-rod. B is the sleeve on the rod, confined between theshoulders C C. D is the holder, consisting of a shank-jaw, E, and apivotjaw, F, seen plainly in Fig. 4f The shank passes through the tubeG, the tube itself being allowed to oscillate on a pivot supported bythe bed-plate H. I is a forked connection on the lower end of the shank.J is an adjustable lever, which works on the fulcrum-pin 7c, the saidpin being on the end of the hanger L, which is adjustable by means ofthe slot m in the side flange of the bed-plate H. N is a rod whichconnects the fulcrum-pin k with the vertical lever O. (See Fig. 2.) P isadouble cam on the horizontalshaft R, which at each half revolutionengages with the lever O, which motion serves to oscillate the tube Gand carry the nippers or nail-plate to and from the moving knife of thenail-machine, thus feeding up the plate. The nipper-rod holder is raisedand lowered so that the nail-plate in the nippers may be reversed clearof the bed-knife by means of the adjustable lever J, mentioned above.This lever is connected with the sliding rack S. The lever is adj ustedor the fulcrum changed according to the width of the nail-plate. T isauniversal joint, through the Center of which the square shank of thenipper-rod passes, as seen in Fig. 2. This universal joint is connectedwith or forms a part of the revolving or reversing-wheel U. (See Fig.3.) The universal joint allows thenipper-rod to be moved upward orlaterally and removed entirely from the feeder with the utmost facility.The action of the jaws ofthe nipper-rod holder ismade intermittent so asto gripe the rod when moving or feeding up and loosen its hold formoving back, thus taking anew hold of the rod, or rather the sleeve ateach oscillation of the cam-lever O. The upper end of the lever O iskept in contact with .the cam by means of a spring, as seen in Fig. 2.The shaft R, which carries the double cam P, is the driving-shaft of thefeeder, and is connected with one arm of the bell-crank V by the rod VV.Xis a crank on the end of the driving-shaft, with which the rod WV isadjustably connected, by means of which motion is given to thebell-crank V. The other arm of the bell-crank is connected with thesliding rack S by the rod Y. The mechanism by means of which the pivot-jaw F ofthe holder is made to operate intermittently is seen in Figs. l,3, and 4. In Fig. 4, Z is a cam on a short horizontal rock-shaft,supported from the bed-plate H. a is an upright arm on each end of thisshaft. On the lower end of the pivot of the bell-crank V is the bar C,having in it the adjusting-screws d. (See Fig. l.) e is a springattached to the connection I, which bears against the lower end of thepivot-jaw F, and serves to close the jaw and gripe the nipper-rod. Thebell-crank Vworks in unison with the feeding-up motion of thenipper-rod, and at each of its oscillations one of the screws cl strikesone of the upright arms a, which rocks the shaft of the cam Z, andpasses the cam against the shank of the pivot-jaw F, which loosens thegripe of the holder upon the nipper-rod at the precise moment to allowof the back movement of the rod.

We are aware that automatic feeders for nailmachines have been madebefore, and that some portions of the mechanisms above described are notnew, but we are not aware that any nail-feeder heretofore known embracesthe improvement whichwe have designated as constituting our presentinvention.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. The nipper-rod A and sleeve B combined witha holder, D E F, and mechanismfor operating said holder, as and for thepurpose speoiiied.

2. The combination of holder D E F, tube G pivoted in plate E, andmechanism to cause the holder to vibrate an d reciprocate vertically, asset forth.

3. The combination of reciprocating rack S and lever J With holder D EF, sleeve B, and nipperrod A, universal joint T, and Wheel U,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of bar c, arranged at the angle of bell-crank V andhaving a screen in each end, With mechanism to vibrate said bar, thearms a a, and cams Z to open and close the jaw F, as described.

5. The reversing-Wheel U and feeding and lifting holder D E F, combinedwith the nipper-rod A, sleeve B, and universal joint T, substantially asdescribed.

JAMES FERGUSON. JOHN TURNER. Witnesses:

IsAAo DAMON, J. M. STETSON.

